Parts:
Seeeduino:
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/seeeduino-v30-atmega-328p-p-669.html?cPath=132_133
Bluetooth/serial module:
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/serial-port-bluetooth-module-masterslave-p-572.html?cPath=139_142
DFrobot motor shield (I used a 1a, this is a 2... they have dropped in price, might as well get this one):
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/2a-motor-shield-for-arduino-p-1059.html?cPath=132_134
Male Jumper wires:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10897
Female jumper wires
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10898
Battery holder from Radioshack
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062253
Android phone
AA Batteries
Donor RC car with tank style drive (both wheels on one side move at same time)
Necessary tools - Hot glue, solding iron, solder, electrical tape, velcro, etc.
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The build:
I had originally planned on doing a bot that used a linksys router to take serial commands over 802.11x connections. After trying several methods and spending countless (and i mean that) hours, I got disgusted and put robotics tinkering away. For a good 6 months I stayed away from everything (probably out of a fear of failure) until I came across this little bluetooth to serial module on ebay for about 4 bucks. I'd provide a link, but if someone reads this a year down the road, it will be dead. Just search for bluetooth serial module, and the same thing will come up.
It literally connects to rx and tx, a 5v and ground source and that's it.
I used the code (in the text doc above) from the DFrobot site (where i got my motor control board) and just tweaked the pwm pins up to 255 for a speed boost. I kept the little stock dc motors and gearbox out of the toy i had decided to source my base from. I'm not sure what these toys are called, but they can be found in thrift stores all over.
Motors wired up to the motor controller, and bluetooth hooked to rx and tx lines, all I had to do was add power. I always like to use a 9v for my arduino, but this time i simplified things and powered everything with a single 4xAA battery pack. I may switch up to 6xAA soon, as it seems to drag a bit on carpet, but on hard surfaces, this thing flies.
Take your pick of bluetooth robot controller programs from the Google Play store. I set, F for forward, B for back, S for stop, L for left, and of course R for right. Choose the option to sync to a device (which you should have done earlier during testing. tip. the code for the generic bluetooth is almost always 1234) and select your bluetooth module, and you're set.
I have some cosmetics things I still want to do to this one, but I think it is about done. I will take better photos and some video as well at a later time.
The code is basic, but it will get you up and running in about 2 seconds, provided you have everything wired right.
Remote controlled via bluetooth on Android phones/tablets
- Actuators / output devices: 2 DC motors from the toy
- Control method: Bluetooth
- CPU: seeeduino, dfrobot motor controller shield
- Operating system: Windows, Android
- Power source: 9v battery, 4x AA 1.5V cells
- Programming language: Arduino Processing
- Sensors / input devices: Bluetooth Module
- Target environment: indoor
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://community.robotshop.com/robots/show/nexus-1